Author: Fidan

SKETCH 6: WHAT’S IN YOUR BAG?

Contents of my backpack:

  • Laptop
  • Earphones
  • MAUS (1 & 2)
  • Wallet
  • 2 notebooks
  • Pencil case

In my opinion, this assignment was one of the easiest ones due to the fact, that I just took a photo of what is with me on a normal day. I just emptied my bag, found a relatively large space and arranged everything that was in my backpack. I think this photo represents how organized I am because I do not carry with me too many useless things and I am always organized and prepared for my classes. However, I think this photo does not fully represent me because I have a lot of interests that I simply cannot relate to the things I carry in my backpack (for example films, music, photography, etc.) In fact, I did not leave anything out of the photo, therefore, this is just a typical collection of the things that I have in my bag every day.

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Photo: by me

SKETCH 5: TRIPTYCH

Probably the most difficult part of creating this sketch assignment was deciding what to draw and how to chose a story that will fit in just three frames. I spent a lot of time just looking around me and trying to pick one object and write a super-short story about it. However, suddenly I recalled one post that I saw on some website a long time ago. There was a comment “I would do anything for you, I would even step on a Lego!”. I thought it would be funny to use this idea and create a conversation of a couple where the boyfriend proves his love by saying that he would step on a Lego for her. I found the idea of using only 3 panels challenging, but great due to the fact, that it made me think of something relatively creative and not to spend time and space for useless material. Overall, I think it was very engaging and interesting experience.

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Photo: by me

Maus 2 Chapter 2 (2/22/18 In-class writing)

I found Chapter 2 of Maus 2 difficult to read due to various reasons. Art Spiegelman’s quote: “The comix I like, and try to do, can be read slowly and often…. I try to make every panel count and sometimes work as long as a month on a page…. I’m excited by the ‘secret language’ of comics — the underlying formal elements that create the illusions” makes it clear to me why I experienced difficulties while reading the chapter. Perhaps, one reason is that as he worked as long as a month on a page, he was improving and completing it, making even more detailed and complicated to read. I caught myself on a thought that sometimes I felt that I missed some events and I did not understand what was happening and needed to go back to read the page again. Probably I was reading it faster than he wanted his audience to read because he included too many events and key points, and all of them deserve to be noticed. Another factor was that the events and violence described by Spiegelman are psychologically hard to absorb and think about.

Someone ate too many cookies​…

In the beginning, I had no idea what I really want to use as the key object for this assignment. I took a look around me and still was confused and worried due to the fact, that I did not know what to draw and what to use as a completing element. Then, I decided to drink some tea and eat cookies to relax a little bit and come back to this assignment after my short break. When I took the cookies out of their bag, I put them on the paper in random position and suddenly noticed that it can be transferred into a head of an animal. The idea just came to my head and I decided to immediately realize it. Overall, the drawing is very simple and, in my opinion, it can represent a pig who feels guilty for eating a lot of cookies and still wanting to eat more. Additionally, I chose this bubble to insert my name because I wanted to add at least one comics-related detail.

(Photo: by me)

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The Most Important Panel in Maus: Chapter 3 – Prisoner of War

In my opinion, one of the most important panels from Chapter 3 was the one describing Vladek’s dream. The panel is horizontal, with the dark background, showing us sleeping Vladek and his dead grandfather. In the dream, his grandfather came to him and said: “You will come out of this place-free!..on the day of Parshas Truma.” I think this panel is extremely important due to the fact, that this dream gave him hope to be free again. Moreover, this dream came true and he went home to his family.

(Maus 1, chapter 3, page 57)

Photo:

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Visual Note Taking

For my visual notes, I decided to draw my ARTHIST 102 lecture on African art. It was unusual for me to create a visual note due to the fact, that I am used to writing down just texts. To be honest, I don’t think that my understanding of the topic improved. However, while I was drawing these objects, I memorized some details better as I paid more attention. On the one hand, the process of creating these visual notes was engaging and interesting. On the other hand, I realized that I learn and understand better from my regular notes. I feel that this method of learning may be extremely useful for some students, but, as I realized, not for me.

Sketch 2: Visual Note Taking Assignment

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Literacy Narrative, part 1. Reflection

My Literacy Narrative focuses on how I was growing up and loving (and at one point even hating) to read. I tried to describe every single thought in my head as clearly as possible. However, at some moments it seemed hard to transfer them into this essay. I decided to use the freewriting exercise and it made the process of writing this narrative much easier and faster due to the fact, that I was forming my essay by putting together all these pieces created separately (answers to the questions from freewriting exercise) into one big picture. When I finished writing the essay and began adding the picture that I took during the winter break when I went back home, I started reading my narrative again from the beginning and came to the conclusion, that what seemed difficult to start turned out to be an enjoyable and great experience.

 

Avatar

For my avatar image, I decided to create a picture that would represent me in this class. I did not know whether I want it to be my real photo or a drawing. After a long time of thinking about it, I finally found a solution to my problem in the idea of creating something in between. In other words, I wanted to make my photograph look like a drawing. I picked my photo and made it more “cartoony” via the application called Cartoon Face. Due to the fact, that I wanted this sketch to represent me in the context of this class, I thought that having comics theme as a background would be the best decision. Additionally, using the application called Snapseed, I typed my name in a bubble because, in my opinion, it is an important element of comics.

One of the main difficulties that I faced in creating this badge was the fact, that I did not have any experience with photo editing programs, sketches, badges, and creating anything like this avatar. But we always need to start somewhere and try something new.

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